Epilogh MAK-NEWS 27/02/95 (M.I.L.S.)

Epilogh MAK-NEWS 27/02/95 (M.I.L.S.) [**]

Ta nea ths hmeras, opws ta eide to MILS:

* MACEDONIA SENDS NOTE OF PROTEST TO AUSTRALIA
. SWEDISH OMBUDSMAN VISITING MACEDONIA
* FRANCE TO APPOINT AN HONORARY CONSUL IN BITOLA
* BRITISH PARLIAMENT MEMBERS TO VISIT MACEDONIA
** GREEK-MACEDONIA DISPUTE THREATENS ATHENS-BELGRADE AXIS
** PHARE OIL TO ARRIVE IN MACEDONIA TODAY [Apo thn Ellada;]
* POLICE DISALLOW LECTURES IN PRIVATE HOUSES
* COMMEMORATION IN MALA RECHICA
* MACEDONIAN POLITICIANS IN TETOVO ANGRY AT COMMEMORATION
* UNIVERSITY IN TETOVO WILL STABILIZE MACEDONIA, RUGOVA SAYS
* TENSION IN MACEDONIA INCREASES, ALBANIA MEDIA WRITES
* CITIZEN ASSOCIATIONS INSIST ON DIALOGUE
* MILETIC REFUTES SERBIAN INVOLVEMENT IN TETOVO EVENTS
. YOUNG DEMOCRATS SAY GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IS OFFENSIVE
** GREEK SPIES USE RELIGIOUS ROBES [Nea qaymasia ekqesh apo thn "yphresia" sthn "Boreio Kypro".]
. MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: SOME ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF DENATIONALIZATION - PART I (Authors: Prof. Dr. Mihajlo Petkovski and Prof. Dr. Vladimir Kandikjan)

MILS NEWS

Skopje, 27 February, 1995

MACEDONIA SENDS NOTE OF PROTEST TO AUSTRALIA
The Macedonian Foreign Ministry sent a note of protest to the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade expressing its concern with the practice in some educational institutions in Australia to call the Macedonian language "Slav-Macedonian". The note reminds the Australians of the negative effect of the March 1994 Australian government's decision to introduce the temporary administrative name of "Slav-Macedonians" for Macedonians living there. No other country in the world, the note says, has referred to the Macedonians and the Macedonian language in a different way.
SWEDISH OMBUDSMAN VISITING MACEDONIA
By invitation from the Macedonian Helsinki Human Rights Committee, the Swedish ombudsman Bertil Venergrin is now visiting Macedonia. During his meetings with parliament members and officials of the Bar Association and the Lawyers' Association, Venergrin spoke of the importance of the ombudsman for the legal protection of citizens. His visit is in preparation for a legal project which Venergrin will introduce into the Macedonian judiciary system.
FRANCE TO APPOINT AN HONORARY CONSUL IN BITOLA
During the recent visit of the French parliamentary delegation, the French ambassador to Macedonia, Patrick Chrismant, said France is to appoint an honorary consul in Bitola. While in Macedonia, the French delegation was received by President Gligorov, Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski and the Head of the Macedonian Church, Father Mikhail.
Meanwhile, French parliament deputy Charles Fevre told reporters that Macedonia is a moderate country without any territorial aspirations and with a satisfactory level of ethnic coexistence. Yet, he underlined Macedonia's fragility due to outside pressures. He stressed that France is inclined to help Macedonia overcome its problems through concrete bilatyeral projects, such as the Vardar Valley Project. Fevre also pointed out French interest in the university in Bitola and hoped for closer cooperation in future. As for Macedonia's problems with Greece, he announced the possibility of greater aid by France because it currently has the presidency of the EU.
BRITISH PARLIAMENT MEMBERS TO VISIT MACEDONIA
During a meeting with Macedonia's ambassador to Britain, Risto Nikovski, the Speaker in the British House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd, accepted the Macedonian Parliament President Andov's invitation to visit Macedonia. The visit is scheduled during the middle of the year and will establish contacts between the two legislative bodies.
GREEK-MACEDONIA DISPUTE THREATENS ATHENS-BELGRADE AXIS
"The problem with Skopje must be resolved as soon as possible to preserve the Athens-Belgrade axis," Makfaks cites the Greek moderate left wing's paper Elefterothipia. The paper writes of international pressures upon Serbian President Milosevic to recognize all former Yugoslav republics, including Macedonia. Elefterothipia recalls the promises that Belgrade's recognition of Macedonia will depend on a solution for the Greek-Macedonian dispute.
PHARE OIL TO ARRIVE IN MACEDONIA TODAY
First freight-cars carrying 23 million Ecu's worth of PHARE oil will arrive in Macedonia today. This EU project, for use by social institutions, kindergartens, schools and hospitals, consists of 27,000 tons of crude oil and 14,000 tons of diesel. Besides oil, the project includes funds for purchasing raw materials, spare parts and food.
POLICE DISALLOW LECTURES IN PRIVATE HOUSES
In a public statement made two days ago, the Macedonian Interior Ministry denied it had promised not to order police intervention if lectures for the university in Tetovo take place in private houses. The statement underlines that the ministry cannot make such promises to either Gert Arens or anyone else, as it is its duty to prevent any violation of the law.
COMMEMORATION IN MALA RECHICA
Last Saturday, ethnic Albanians gathered in Mala Rechica in a commemoration for the victim of February 17 when clashes between police and the crowd left one dead and a dozen injured. Leaders of all political parties of Albanians attended the commemoration.
Meanwhile, the Tetovo District Attorney brought new charges, this time against Arben Rusi, president of the "El Hilal" humanitarian organization and Musli Halimi. The indictment accuses them of participation in a crowd preventing police officers from exercising their duty. The District Attorney. requested that they be held in custody during the investigation.
MACEDONIAN POLITICIANS IN TETOVO ANGRY AT COMMEMORATION
"We bitterly protest the recent gathering of ethnic Albanians from Tetovo and other places in the courtyard of the so-university in Mala Rechica," the Macedonian political block in Tetovo said in a public statement. "This is just another illegal and anti-constitutional activity, openly violating the constitution and law. We demand that the Macedonian public be completely informed of the event and who those are that are organizing such gatherings, which include hoisting up Albanian flags and promoting some educational heroes."
UNIVERSITY IN TETOVO WILL STABILIZE MACEDONIA, RUGOVA SAYS
"The university in Tetovo will not destabilize Macedonia; on the contrary, it will contribute to a stronger stability in the country," said Ibrahim Rugova, leader of the Kosovo Albanians, speaking at a press-conference in Prishtina. The university is in the interest not only of Macedonia, but of all nations in the region, he said.
TENSION IN MACEDONIA INCREASES, ALBANIA MEDIA WRITES
The Albania media says tensions in Macedonia are increasing after recent student protests concerning the Tetovo university. Makpress cites Albanian media as saying "it is an unseen event that students and professors of one nation demonstrate against education and university of another nation". The papers conclude this can be done only by people blinded by chauvinism and national hatred.
CITIZEN ASSOCIATIONS INSIST ON DIALOGUE
In regard to latest events in Skopje, Tetovo, and Kumanovo, the Committee for Peace and Citizen Initiatives in Macedonia points out that respect for the common citizen is the only way to deal with all key problems.
The Union of Albanian Intellectuals appeals to the entire intelligentsia in Macedonia, and particularly to Macedonian intellectuals, to affirm the need for higher education of the entire population, especially of ethnic Albanians. Pointing out higher education of ethnic Albanians cannot possibly harm anyone, the Union says it is not becoming of those who are highly educated to be against educational and cultural progress of a part of the country's population. The Unions stands against any form of repression of freedom of speech and believes the imprisoned intellectuals ought to be released.
MILETIC REFUTES SERBIAN INVOLVEMENT IN TETOVO EVENTS
The Democratic Party of Serbs reacted bitterly to the news of the alleged involvement of Serbs in events in and around Tetovo, as well as rumors that Fadil Suleimani is an alleged KOS agent. According to the party leader, Dragisha Miletic, the media in Macedonia is full of lies and fabrications and they must stop blaming Serbs for every unrest in the country. Miletic also denied news of Serbian police involvement in Mala Rechica, saying the Serbian signs on the walls could not have been written by Serbs, as the entire place was under the control of the Macedonian police. Miletic said Serbs in Macedonia are not demanding a university in their native language as they already have a university in Belgrade. He added Serbs in Macedonia stand for coexistence, while the university in Tetovo is only a facade to cover for what is already happening in Kosovo: autonomy to be followed by secession. He promised protection to all Serbs in Macedonia should the conflict spread.
YOUNG DEMOCRATS SAY GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN IS OFFENSIVE
Supporting the declaration read at the students' protest in Skopje but disassociating itself from some of the slogans seen at the rally, the youth branch of the Democratic Party accused government spokesman Djuner Ismail of being cynical and offensive in his statement concerning the student demonstration. The Young Democrats asked Ismail where he sees the extremism and national hysteria he spoke of and why he equates the demonstration with demands for an Albanian- language university.
GREEK SPIES USE RELIGIOUS ROBES
Greece has sent several hundred secret military agents disguised as priests to Macedonia, Albania and Bulgaria, according to the Agency on International Affairs in Northern Cyprus, as cited by Makpress. The Agency claims members of the secret organization ESEK (Union of Greek Religious Workers), established by the Greek Orthodox Church, are being trained for spying in a military base near Salonika. The secret agents, who speak Macedonian, Bulgarian and Albanian, operate in orthodox churches in Macedonia, Albania and Bulgaria, recruiting members to further their intelligence network.
MILS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT: SOME ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF DENATIONALIZATION - PART I
(Authors: Prof. Dr. Mihajlo Petkovski and Prof. Dr. Vladimir Kandikjan) Private property, and the complete legal protection of it, is the essential basis of the open market economy. Contrarily, the state-controlled economy is based on state ownership of property. That is why one of the first steps when transforming a market economy into a state-controlled one is the imposition of strict limits on private property, with the process of nationalization being by far the most drastic method used. On the other hand, the process of creating true open market relations requires creating conditions for the complete affirmation of private property. Bearing in mind the ways in which the largest portion of state property was initially created in communist countries, it would seem logical to introduce denationalization as a first step towards a market economy, before beginning with the privatization processes. Even more so because arguments suggesting restitution or full and adequate compensation for rightful owners are not only of strictly ethical and political nature. Denationalization is an economic and speedy way to determine rightful ownership. And finally, a practical implementation, instead of just words and pronouncements is the best way to successfully persuade the domestic and international public in the state's irreversible determination to build an open market economy. It was exactly with this in mind that the largest part of the former socialist countries turned to denationalization as their priority task. Almost all of these countries passed denationalization laws prior to the process of privatizing state-owned property. In a considerable number of them, the rightful owners have either been given their property back or justly compensated.
The goal of this analysis is to effectively contribute to the acceleration of the denationalization process in Macedonia, by clarifying essential economic aspects concerning the process. Therefore, it primarily includes a short comparative review of the practical implementation of denationalization in countries currently undergoing transition processes. The second part of the analysis states the main arguments for carrying out denationalization through restitution as the fundamental method. The third and last part treats the two key elements of compensation as a second best solution. These elements set the ways in which the amount and types of compensation are determined and point to potential financial sources for compensating nationalized properties.
Comparative review of denationalization in countries in transition*
The ongoing implementation of the denationalization process in ex-socialist countries is facing serious difficulties resulting from the absence of appropriate legal regulations, problems by rightful owners or their heirs when submitting evidence of ownership, and the countries' limited fiscal capacity.** Still, because of the importance of the issue, the majority of them have come up with various solutions. Most of them have achieved considerable progress.
Albania regulated denationalization with two laws adopted in 1993. Former rightful owners were granted the right to either restitution of or compensation for non-agrarian land. In cases of already privatized property, the law introduces co-ownership between previous and new owners.
A significant portion of the land in Bulgaria was returned to original owners in Bulgaria upon the adoption of the Property Restoration Law of 1992 and the Compensation Act of 1993. Restitution of business offices in cities in 1992 yielded as much as 25,000 small and medium private businesses. Land, on the other hand, is being returned at a slower pace, partly due to high taxes for acquiring deeds. The number of applications for restitution of enterprises, land and apartments (nationalized during communism) in Estonia was more than 200,000 by April 1993. Half of the applications were decided upon by February 1994. The unresolved cases are slowing down the privatization process, particularly the privatization of apartments.
Out of the total of 300,000 applications for restitution of land (including urban areas) in Latvia, 70,000 have already been processed. In compliance with the 1990 Land Reform Act, the first phase of restitution and/or privatization set the right to use the land (more than half of the entire land has been transferred). The second phase, expected to clear out ownership rights, is being carried out more slowly as a result of inconsistent legal regulations.
March 1994 was the deadline for submitting applications by rightful owners of nationalized land in Lithuania. Around 86,000 applications were submitted.
The legal regulations for denationalization in Romania is at the draft law stage, and has already been passed by the Senate in June 1994. The lower house of Parliament is still to pass the proposed law so that it can come in effect and resolve over 250,000 cases.
* The presentation of comparative experiences in denationalization in countries in transition is given in accordance with the EBRD, Transition Report, London, 1994.
** cf. Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Survey of Europe in 1991-1992, pp. 200-201 (to be continued)